Exhibition: The Near and the Elsewhere, PM Gallery and House, London, January 25 – March 17 2012

Combining photography, painting, film and installation, The Near and the Elsewhere explores the stories behind the buildings abandoned during the global economic downturn.

Recording unsuccessful commercial ventures and the resultant empty spaces, the exhibition draws together the work of renowned artists from across the world to look at buildings that no longer fulfil the purpose for their creation.

Peter Piller and Noel Jabbour use documentary photography to record a culture of wastage and excess, while Gaia Persico's urban landscape drawings show densely populated areas, now isolated.

The exhibition also features Edgar Martin's picture series for the New York Times, This is not a House, and Gregor Graf's photographs of half-constructed homes, deserted and gone wild.

Greg Girad's haunting images of Shanghai are key to the exhibition, the growing metropolis visualising the threat of neon development in engulfing traditional homes.

As well as looking at abandoned architecture, the shots also follow the marginalised inhabitants of the cities, peering into gaps outside of general awareness.

Slides by Francis Alÿs showing images of the homeless reveal the true human consequences of urban development.

Despite a focus on the daily battles of metropolitan living, the exhibition centres on hope.

Often in stark contrast to the original vision, overlooked urban environments are shown as private corners of refuge, demonstrating the defiance of people against mass economic forces.

• Open 1pm-5pm (11am-5pm Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday). Admission free.

More pictures: